


Bathrooms, Clubs and Coffee

by Gingernutting



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Clubbing, Dick Jokes, Drinking, F/F, Genderbend, Keith is an anxious wreck, Lance is smooth, Shiro is Keiths foster sister, allura and coran are human, from request on tumblr, klance, lesbian klance, might turn this one shot into multiple chapters if i feel like it, not beta read and will have errors, on hiatus due to being rewritten for cultural accuracy!, this has just turned into lesbians going on sappy dates lol, this is so cheesy haha
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-09-02 18:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8677648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gingernutting/pseuds/Gingernutting
Summary: Keith, after her foster sister discovers that she hasn't seen natural sunlight in three days, gets dragged out from the house for a night out. Keith is certain it was a bad move until she finally starts talking to a woman who insists on paying for her drink.





	1. Chapter 1

Loud music. Flashing lights. And people. Lots and lots of people. Grinding their sweaty bodies up against each other, drinking heavily, and flirting in the hopes to dirty their bedsheets. Keith cringed as a sweaty fuckboy left his hand on her lower back for a bit too long, and she smiled as she elbowed his arm sharply. She pulled her backpack's straps a little closer and folded her arms, hunching her shoulders to the noise. Shiro had basically dragged her outside, and that woman was strong, after she discovered that Keith had not seen natural sunlight for three days and that Shiro and Shiro's father were the only people she had talked to for a week. And so Shiro had plopped her on the back of her motorbike and drove out to the city. They eased into it, just going out for pizza and a light beer first, and when Keith felt ballsy enough, she got Shiro to take her to a club. One that her foster sister was familiar with. Boy, she was quick to judge, and she was out of her depth. She navigated her way through the sea of people, trying to find Shiro again, who went off dancing with a woman and a man she knew well. Keith couldn't find her at all. Desperate to free her lungs from the flood of people, she pushed and weaved through the swarming crowd until she laid her eyes on an empty bar stool, low red and blue lights dancing across the wood. Keith gasped and almost collapsed onto the seat.  
"Dude, you okay?"  
A gentle voice asked from next to her. Keith turned sharply, her mouth dry. A woman, about the same age as herself, was giving her a concerned look, her chocolate brown hair tied into a ponytail, with bangs parted down the middle to frame her slim face, sapphire blue eyes that were focused on her, and freckles dusted along her tanned sun kissed skin. Her large gold hoops hung to skim along her broad shoulders, and she was wearing capri jeans, and a dark blue halter necked crop top that showed off a line of skin. She was very skinny and flat chested, and looked friendly enough.  
"Yeah, I'm good."  
Keith bit back and zipped open her military green canvas bag, taking a few gulps from her water bottle.  
"Uh, no, you don't look good, come with me."  
Before Keith could protest, the mystery woman had grabbed her hand and she was being dragged off to the bathrooms, which were lit up a lot better and the music wasn't as loud, muffled, and no-one else was in here. Keith had to admit, it was a lot better. The room had three empty navy blue cubicles to the right, plastered with advertisements half peeled and stickers displaying other themed nights at the club, as well as numbers scrawled onto the white tiled walls, and fluorescent lighting above them, a bottle of foundation was spilt onto the floor next to the drain.  
"So you're a club virgin, hm?"  
The woman had a smug, cat-like smile on her face, like she knew she was right, and she totally was.  
"The fuck?"  
Was all Keith could get out.  
"A club virgin! Y'know, the ones who obviously have never been clubbing before, get overwhelmed and shit-faced fast-"  
"Okay, okay, I get it, I'm a club virgin."  
Keith snapped, sighing heavily and taking another sip from her bottle.  
"Yeah, look at yourself."  
The mystery woman had grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to stare at a mirror, one with numbers drawn on in Sharpie and with various band stickers and chewing gum pressed on. Keith was like a goddamned tomato, sweat shining on her forehead and beading down her temples, and she stared transfixed and embarrassed. That obvious, was she? She yelped a little when something cool was pressed against her forehead.  
"This should help!"  
The woman grinned at the mirror, pressing the wet cloth to her forehead. It was a relief to Keith, and it felt nice against her hot skin. She felt drab compared to the woman; Keith was wearing a black tank top (borrowed from Shiro) with armholes that exposed her beige bra, a red and white baseball jacket, with a red lion embroidered on the back (hidden by her bag), and jeans with rips in the knees that clung onto her hips, that, and she hadn't showered for a few days, just a spray of deodorant before she left the house. The mystery woman was dressed nicely, and lots of effort was put into her appearance, down to her glowy skin and her winged eyeliner.  
"Thanks."  
Keith breathed and took another sip of water, as the woman patted down her face with the cool cloth until the redness in her face had gone down. Keith pulled her face away from the mirror and let the woman straighten out her jacket and bag straps.  
"Oh, and I'm Lance, by the way."  
The woman held out her hand, which had pastel blue nail polish expertly applied to her short nails, and two stacked golden rings on her middle finger, with Opal and Lapis Lazuli stones set in them, Keith recognised. Keith brushed off her palms and took her hand.  
"I'm Keith."  
At least she now had a name to a face.  
"Nice meetin' you, Keith. Can I buy you a drink?"  
If anything terrible rom-coms taught Keith, Lance was making a move on her, and she stiffened. She barely knew this woman, even if she was helpful. Lance's eyes blew up and she waved her hands about as she got flustered over her words.  
"Wait! Terrible wordin'! I mean, like, just, y'know, save you the money. Margaritas here are pretty good."  
Keith breathed a sigh of relief.  
"Yeah, okay."  
She squeaked. Her social awkwardness was at an all time high, but she would rather be with Lance than be all alone in the crowd looking for Shiro. Besides, the whole point of coming here was to meet people, right?  
"Great!"  
Lance took her hand again, but not as quickly, and she guided them back to the bar, and miraculously, their seats weren't taken. Lance called over the bartender and swiftly ordered two margaritas, and within a minute, two wide glasses were slid in front of them. Keith had never tried any 'fancy' drinks before, unless straight vodka counted. When she took a glance at Lance, the woman was sipping hers through a straw, and Keith awkwardly copied her. It tasted funny, bitter and sweet.  
"So you like it?"  
"It's...alright."  
Lance pulled an over-dramatic face of shock, complete with her hand on her chest.  
"What!? Just alright!? Okay, whatdoya normally drink?"  
"Cider? Beer?"  
"I see, what brands?"  
"For cider? Rekorderlig? I dunno. Jus' any beer will do it in for me."  
Lance stuck out her bottom lip and rubbed her chin.  
"First time clubbin'?"  
"Yeah, you know that."  
"And how often do you go out?"  
"Would it kill you if I said that this was th' second time this year?"  
"And the first time goin' out was?"  
"For my foster mother's birthday."  
Lance pulled a face of disbelief.  
"What is your idea of a night out?"  
"Dunno, quieter than this though...maybe for dinner and drinks or somethin'. Honestly? No idea."  
"So you _do_ have some taste, at least. Man, if I could, we'd be hittin' the town and go to all the nicest places, because like, what, you needa get out some more."  
"I do?"  
"Yeah, no shit Sherlock, you do."  
Lance took another sip of her drink, leaving Keith to awkwardly wonder about what Lance was getting at.  
"What do you do? Uni? Job?"  
"No uni, I dropped out of school at sixteen. I, uh, work as a mechanic at a garage though, and my foster sister is a trainee pilot."  
"Woah."  
"And you?"  
"Me? I'd like to be a pilot, really, that sounds pretty cool. But I gotta work my way up, and the only thing I'm doin' now is attemptin' to study while juggling two jobs. Retail sucks dick. _Big_ dick."  
Keith snorted at that.  
"Where are you studying at?"  
"Y'know, the Garrison. The Uni one though, not the high school."  
Keith almost felt her heart drop. That was where Shiro was studying at.  
"Sounds cool."  
Keith forced out and took another sip of her drink. Lance must have noticed her hesitation.  
"Okay, touchy subject."  
Lance swirled her drink, thinking of ways to make conversation.  
"But really, I needa knock some taste into you, hang on."  
Lance reached over the counter when the bartender wasn't looking, and grabbed a notepad and pen, scribbling a number onto it before handing it over to Keith.  
"Gimme a call, will ya? I really wanna show you around the town, knock some taste into ya...and I can oil your cogs if y'know what I mean, car girl."  
Was she flirting? Something so _lewd_ , and Keith swallowed thickly. Lance winked and curled her lips into a sly smile.  
"But seriously, it would be nice see ya again. Have fun the rest of the night! And looks like someone is callin' you!"  
Lance peered down at the bulge of Keith's phone in her jeans pocket, an old AC/DC song playing as her ringtone. Lance laughed softly and slipped away as Keith scrambled for her phone.  
"Sh-Shiro? Where are you?"  
_"-hit...across the room, I see you, and we're coming over!"_  
The were voices snickering in the background, and Keith turned around to see Shiro waving at her, two other people at her sides. They were all wearing glow-in-the-dark triangle stickers under their eyes. A dapper woman, who looked the oldest of the lot, possibly into her late thirties, was at Shiro's side, an arm around her shoulder, crow's feet at her eyes with neon blue triangle stickers under her eyes, the same as Shiro, with bright ginger hair in a bun, a lock of hair hanging over her forehead. A man, with neon pink triangles under his eyes, smiled softly at Keith. He had wavy hair dyed snow white down to his shoulders, that contrasted nicely with his dark skin, and he looked a little older than Shiro, with his warm smile and the way his arm was around Shiro's shoulders.  
"Keith! These lovely guys here are Coran and Allura! Coran, Allura, meet Keith!"  
"Hiya Keith! Good to finally meet ya! Enjoying chatting with Lance I take it?"  
Coran held out her hand, and Keith shook it. Coran had a quirky voice, and a thick New Zealand accent. So these weren't just random strangers Shiro found, she probably knew them from the Garrison.  
"And I am Allura, also a pleasure to finally meet you, Keith!"  
Allura extended his hand as well, and he had a warm voice with an English accent. Keith smiled and shook his hand too.  
"Nice to meet you guys too."  
Keith's eyes darted around the room, looking for Lance, but to no avail. However, she stuffed the paper in her pocket and finished her drink quickly.  
"Anyway, Allura and I were planning coffee and gelato, you two are very welcome to come along if you like?"  
"Sounds good Coran, Keith, you up for it?"  
Keith felt like she was being suffocated in here, her clothes a felt little too tight, and she was sweating buckets. And still she couldn't see Lance.  
"Yeah, sounds great."  
  
Keith drank in the fresh night air greedily, leaning against the black brick wall of the club.  
"You alright there Keith?"  
"Y-yeah, just a bit overwhelmed."  
Shiro nodded at that, linking an arm with Allura, and Keith sidled up between Coran and Shiro. It was almost one in the morning, according to her phone, and the streetlights glowed orange, casting the street in the orange hue, shadowing drifting chip bags and green glass beer bottles, illuminating the sides of parked cars and graffiti on the walls.  
"So where is this place?"  
"Oh, it's small, just a couple of streets up from here! It's open all day and night, basically made for night owls."  
Coran chirped back, linking her arm with Keiths. She was wearing a royal blue pinstripe suit, with a cream coloured blouse underneath her blazer, and a gold and peridot ring on the ring finger of her right hand. Allura was wearing a light blue button up shirt, unbuttoned to show off a white tee-shirt with some funny black logo on the chest (like an arrow, Keith thought) and a pair of dark jeans, cufflinks with a small chunk of amethyst in.  
"So you've been talking to Lance."  
Allura stated.  
"What do you think of her?"  
Actually, what did Keith of her?  
"Well...she's interestin', talkative, a bit...annoyin'."  
Keith shrugged.  
"I didn't exactly get to know her for that long."  
Shiro nodded.  
"I occasionally tutor her, her and her friend Hunk. They're pretty good, she gets along with people like a house on fire."  
Coran laughed at that.  
"Oh yes, that's her, but she's also quite a lovely woman, very soulful, very expressive...like an explosion in a small room!"  
Huh, maybe Coran knew something she didn't? Lance didn't come off as being like that towards her.  
"Are we talkin' about the same person here?"  
Shiro snickered and elbowed her arm gently.  
"You'll see, you still gonna keep in touch with her?"  
"Wait, why are you suddenly so interested?"  
Shiro smiled.  
"Nothing!"  
Coran guided them into a tiny shop, like a typical hipster shop, complete with plants growing around the counter. Keith dug out her wallet, and stared at the menu and gelato flavours. Coran and Allura were already ordering flat whites and lattes, taking single scoops of peach and vanilla.  
"It's alright, I can pay."  
Shiro presented a twenty dollar note to the cashier, a petite woman with small glasses wearing multiple crystal necklaces and a black apron, and short brown hair.  
"What chu havin'?"  
"I'll take a passionfruit and a long black please, Keith?"  
Keith was almost disappointed that the cashier wasn't Lance, as the woman did juggle two retail jobs, maybe she slipped out to go ot work or something.  
"Oh, yeah, flat white and a mango, please."  
The cashier handed back Shiro her change, and they both stood around waiting with the others, Allura sharing memes and cat pictures on his phone (with the usual "that one is you" pointed out to Coran whenever a sleek ginger cat came up). It didn't even take five minutes before they were swaying down the street, Shiro and Coran singing some song out loud (it was quiet with nobody around) and drinking coffee with some very well made gelato. It was cold, just what Keith needed. She didn't remember the bike ride home, only thinking about her funny encounter with a woman named Lance.  
  
  
-  
  
The numbers were in her phone, just waiting to be called, the slip of paper gripped in her other hand, and Keith took a deep breath as she pressed the call button with shaky fingers.  
_"Hello? Lance Fuentes speakin'!"_ __  
Keith gulped. She had a pretty name. But what if she didn't remember her? What if she didn't mean those things she said?  
"Uh, hello? Lance? This is Keith. From-from last night."  
Keith's heart raced in her ears. At least she wasn't given a fake number. The line was silent for what felt like a decade.  
_"Well thank god you actually called back!"_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith gives Lance a call, who is more than happy to see her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the feedback! I have not moved for the last three hours finishing this off, and its a bit long, but I hope you enjoy these cheesy lesbians having a night out!  
> 

Keith smiled, hearing the voice on the other end of the line. Lance sounded tired, but she perked up when she realised it was Keith calling.  
_“Shit, like, it's_ the _Keith? From last night? Not like some prank?”_ _  
_ “Yes Lance, it's me, Keith.”  
Keith heard shuffling from the other end of the phone, and Lance's joyous laughter.  
“So what you were sayin' last night, about wantin' to 'give me some taste', you really wanna follow up on that?”  
Lance snorted.  
_“Well, I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to, right?”_ _  
_ Keith bit her tongue. Why _did_ Lance leave so quickly last night?  
“Also, you...uh, left early.”  
There was a moment of silence on the line.  
_“Yeah, I just saw Coran and Allura, I mean, they're great and all, but it would be awkward to just, y'know, bump into your teachers at a club, wouldn't it?”_ _  
_ Oh. _Oh._ So now Keith knew the connection they had with Lance, she already suspected it, but it was good to know for sure. There was a bit of slurred speech on the line, followed by what felt like sheets being pulled over. It was barely nine in the morning, but then again, Keith was a morning person. She blames it on watching Power Rangers at butt-crack o'clock with Shiro when she was eleven, that, and at the orphanage she rarely got any sleep there.   
“You even up yet?”  
Keith heard a groan from the other side of the line.  
_“Well, I was half asleep when you called and - JOSEPH QUIT IT!”_ _  
_ Thankfully Lance tilted her phone away to save Keith's ears.   
_“Who ya talkin' to, Lance? JOSEPH THAT'S NONE OF YOU BUSINESS! GET! OUT! NO-”_ _  
_ Keith would be lying if she said she wasn't chuckling along to the sound of whatever the hell was going on, and whoever this Joseph was. He sounded like a young child.  
_“Hey! This is Joseph! Are you Lance's guuuuurlfwiend?”_ _  
_ The boy drawled, and Keith covered her mouth as she snorted, hearing Lance shrieking in the background, that and he sounded like he was enjoying every minute of getting on Lance's nerves.  
“To be honest, even I don't know.”  
_“KEITH NO! DON'T EGG HIM ON!”_ _  
_ Joseph whined as the sound of a door slamming filled the receiver, and Lance's relieved sigh.  
_“Sorry, that's Joseph, my little brother. Ugh.”_ _  
_ The sounds of more shouting and footsteps from outside the door filled Keith's ear.  
“I got a sister, her name's Shiro.”  
_“Dude. No. Fuckin'. Way.”_ _  
_ At the mention of her name, she heard Shiro yell at her from across the house. Keith chose to ignore her for a minute.  
_“Hold the phone, you didn't tell me she was your_ sister _! I thought she was, I dunno, your friend or somethin'.”_ _  
_ “Well technically, we aren't related in the least, so I don't blame ya for thinkin' she's my friend.”  
_“No shit, she's like a legend here at the Garrison, she goddamned aced the flight simulators with the highest scores on record here!”_ _  
_ Okay, this got Keith's attention. How come Shiro never told her? To be honest, Shiro did have pretty good grades, and was a talented pilot, but why didn't she tell her that? Keith blamed it on Shiro's humble attitude.  
“Hey, this is news to me too. The highest scores on record?”  
_“Yeah! Oh man, she's like my idol, absolute goals, she is.”_ _  
_ Keith's attitude towards Lance died down, what if she was only getting close to her so she could get close to her sister? Because in her books, that was a Dick Move.  
_“Keith, you okay? Buddy? Oh man, sorry if I...creeped you out, I don't have the hots for your sister, I repeat, I_ don't _have the hots for your sister.”_ _  
_ Oh thank god.  
“Alright...that's a relief, anyway, so you still want to meet up?”  
_“Oh, right! Yes! I have a vespa, you should be able to sit on the back, you ain't that big, where do you live?”_ _  
_ “24 Tarkin Ave.”  
_“Well that was...straightforward, alright, what day?”_ _  
_ Keith was free tonight, it was a Saturday, and she didn't have work until next week, bonus that it was summer holidays.  
“You free tonight?” _  
__“Well, yeah, I don't work weekends.”_ _  
_ “So how about tonight?”  
The sound of a pencil scribbling on paper was the only sound on the other end.  
_“Yeah? I can pick you up at six?”_ _  
_ “Yeah.”  
_“So I guess I'll see you then!”_ _  
_ “Guess so, see ya Lance.”  
_“In a while, crocodile!”_

The phone then hung up, and Keith gulped. Tonight? She made a plan to meet up with a mysterious woman,  _ tonight?  _ She barely knew her for ten minutes last night. Keith groaned and let her head hit the pillow. But, Lance sounded nice, and she did help her out last night, and if Lance stayed true to her word about knocking some taste into her, it should be a good night out.   
“Keith!? You said my name, more than once, why are you talkin' about me?”   
Shiro knocked on her door, and carefully opened it, her face had this odd look of suspicion on it.   
“Nothin', just talkin' to Lance.”   
Her odd face then melted into a smug look.   
“So...what were you talkin' about?”   
Shiro had ears like a hawk, you could say there was a nuclear explosion in Russia and she wouldn't turn her head, but you say her name five kilometres away and she would be onto you.   
“We're meetin' up tonight.”   
Keith glanced up at her, and saw that smug smile on her face.   
“What?”   
“Oh, nothing!”   
“Shiro, don't lie to me, somethin's up.”   
“Nothin' that won't hurt you! Anyway, I'm watching Silverhawks, wanna watch a few episodes with me?”   
“Which ones?”   
“The best ones,  _ The Diamond Stick-Pin, Zeek's Power-” _ _  
_ “You got me there, I'm comin'.”

 

_ (16:03) Keith, u still up for it? _ _  
_ _ (16:03) Sorry, im hyped for tonight! _ _  
_ _ (16:05)  _ Still on _  
_ _ (16:06)  _ im hyped for tonight too

 

Shiro had lightly teased Keith the whole afternoon about the 'date' her and Lance were going on with. She was just as hyped for it, and she even did Keith's eyeliner. Good thing too, Keith doing eyeliner was like the imprint a drunken fly covered in ink makes smacking itself into glass, whereas Shiro just needed a steady hand and she was good to go.   
“Dress nicely! Trackpants don't count!”   
Fuck, there goes Keith's outfit plan. She settled for the same pair of jeans she wore the night before, but with her cropped red leather jacket and a white shirt with some adidas logo on the front (yes, she also borrowed that off Shiro, but it fit Keith better than it did Shiro). Shiro's mother even gave her a spritz of her Chanel perfume, on her wrists and behind her ears. It actually smelt quite nice, and Keith would consider wearing it again. Her foster parents heard it from Shiro that it was a date, and they were overjoyed at that. Keith didn't want to tell them it wasn't, didn't want to rain on their parade, and she loved them, and she liked that they were happy, hell, she even let them fuss over her.   
“Dad, c'mon, I don't need extra money.”   
“You never know!”   
No point arguing, but she smiled a thanks and shoved the twenty dollar note in her wallet. When Lance pulled up into the driveway, her family were at her side, they wouldn't miss this for the world. Lance had a pastel blue Vespa that looked to be pulled right out from the sixties, small dents on the side, and the tires had gravel and sand stuck in the grooves, with a light tan leather seat, and with white panels over the wheels and a small sticker of a retro hula girl on the side. She was wearing a pale yellow singlet, and high waisted light blue short shorts, that showed off her lanky figure and golden skin, which Keith could see a lot more clearly in the sunlight. She still had those golden hoops and rings on, hair in the same ponytail as the night before, and she had an off-white helmet that could have been from a secondhand store, and another matching one was at her feet. Lance also had a vintage green jacket, and it went down to the tops of her thighs. She still wore black and white converses though. Keith was motorbike person, she had her own one, a cherry red Honda Magna that she adored, and she could tell that Lance loved her little scooter.    
“Hey Keith! This your family?”   
Lance pulled off her helmet and walked over, spreading her arms for hugs. She got a hug from everyone, and she smiled widely when she got one from Shiro. Mouthing to Keith 'I'm hugging my idol!'. Keith also felt obliged to give her one, and she was a few inches taller than her, and she was also wearing a perfume, but it smelt of flowers.   
“Okay Lance, I trust you, keep her safe?”   
Shiro held out a fist for Lance, who fist bumped her back.   
“It's not a date! But yeah, she can keep herself safe. She's got a helmet right here!”   
“That's what I wanna hear.”    
Lance took Keith's hand, giving Keith the spare helmet and pulling her own one on. They both waved good-bye to her family as Lance kicked her foot off the ground. Even though it was small, her vespa had a lot of power, probably modified, and Keith found herself wrapping her arms around her waist, the wind in her hair, as her bangs whipped her face. It was six o'clock at night, but it was still very bright, and warm, just one of the perks of summer. Keith decided that she would take her jacket off later, it would get a lot hotter under her leather once they were off Lances vespa.   
“Where are we even goin'!?”   
Keith had to raise her voice over the wind.   
“You'll see!”   
Lance got back at her. Keith tilted her head, watching the buildings and people blur past her at fifty kilometers an hour. The single storey houses turned into grander houses, then into shops and facilities, and the city was bustling with life. People of all shapes and sizes blurred past, and different smells filled the air. This was a grand part of town, many rich people came here to spend their dough, ladies in shimmering gold dresses and fur coats with their coiled blonde hair and dapper men in waistcoats made of silk and watches made of gold, barely anything compared to their wallets.  _ That  _ kind of rich. Keith had never really taken the time to actually look and watch, watch the people here going about their lives, looked at the decorated places in all their glitz and glamour. Lance slowed down, and she hitched the scooter onto a kerb, right outside a place that wasn't as grand as the others, but had a homely air to it, with clay walls and wooden doors, it looked very Mexican in architecture, and it had warm orange fairy lights strung up around the place, and cactuses with their roots embedded into the desert soil outside the open windows. A couple of middle aged men in leather jackets were smoking cigarettes outside, laughing as they leaned on their Harley Davidsons.    
“You ever been here before?”   
Lance tousled her hair as she popped open the seat, keeping her helmet in the space underneath it, and she twitched a finger at Keiths'.   
“No.”   
She breathed, and handed her helmet to Lance.   
“Well, we've come to the right place! We'll jus' eat lightly here, jus' a couple of tacos, 'coz we gotta lot of places planned tonight!”   
Lance playfully elbowed her arm and looped her arm around Keith's. When they stepped inside, the smell was what got to Keith first of all, spices and smoke filled the air, and it was a pleasing mix. Many other families were crowded around the tables, which were tastefully decorated with small potted cacti and candles, and a bottle of chili sauce. Lance guided them over to a window table, that looked over a garden filled with desert flowers and cacti.    
“So, what did you exactly plan for tonight?”   
Keith folded her arms on the table, leaning forwards and resting her chest on them.   
“Glad you asked! Okay, you know how I wanted to 'knock some taste' into ya, right?”   
Keith nodded.   
“Yeah? Well here's the plan, in order to be  _ properly  _ cultured, you gotta try a bit of everythin'! And this is just the starter.”   
It honestly...wasn't that bad of an idea, crawling the city, taking a sample of anything and everything. It actually sounded like quite a night to Keith.   
“This is just the starter?”   
“You got it, we're just gonna have a shot and a taco, 'coz the tacos here are amazin' and you haven't lived until you've tried them.”    
A waitress, wearing a red and white checkered apron, black hair in a messy ponytail, and Russian red lipstick handed them a couple of menus. They both ordered a pulled pork taco, and upon Lance's recommendation, a margarita shot to kick-start the night. They had ten minutes to not make the silence between them awkward before their food arrived.   
“So, y'like motorbikes?”   
“Yeah, how'd you know?”   
Lance got that smug cat grin on her face again   
“I noticed, there were two motorbikes when I came in, your parents don't motorbike, I know Shiro has the black one, so that leaves you with th' red one. It looked pretty sweet, an' expensive, an' I know that unless you really really liked bikes, you probably wouldn't have dished out th' dough to get it.”    
Keith was taken aback at her analysis. Yeah, her and Shiro both owned nice bikes, Shiro had a Harley with a gorgeous purr, and she bought a Magna a few years ago. She got it for dirt cheap because the thing was barely holding together, but with a lot of hard work, elbow grease, and patience, after six months, she had a gorgeous modified bike.   
“How did you...fuck it I'm not even gonna question it.”   
Keith laughed softly in disbelief.   
“My turn, on the phone this mornin', I met your brother Joseph, but I heard a lot more than two people in the room, who were the others?”   
Lance, at the question, laughed nervously.   
“Um, yeah, that's my family. I gotta, pfff, pretty big family.”   
“How big?”   
“Uhhh...three sisters, and three brothers, including me.”   
Lance rubbed the back of her neck.   
“Three younger siblings, Joseph, who you've met, and Maria. Joseph just turned five a week ago, Maria is eight...my oldest sister is twenty-three, her and my oldest brother were twins, and the other one is thirteen. I love them, y’know. Maria and Joseph were born here in th’ US, me an’ th’ others were born in Cuba. We moved here...well, rest is history! Now, what about you?”

It was a lot to take in for Keith, that, and the thought of being surrounded by so much family.

“Me? Funny, I also wasn't born here. South Korea, actually. My parents died in a car accident when I was three. Apparently my grandmother fought really hard to keep me, but she was quite old, they wouldn't let her. Sometime later, after being in an orphanage for some time, I got adopted by some family in Australia, they took an interest in me, but they didn't want me a month later.”

“that’s not funny, that’s really sad. Why?”

Lance was leaning in a little closer, hanging onto every word. Keith shrugged. 

“Disciplinary issues. Too aggressive, too violent, too quiet. Another family took me in, but I was gone two weeks later. Shipped around the entirety of Australia in a suitcase. Then some home in America took me in. Then another orphanage did. Then Shiro and her family waltz into my life when I was nine. Okay, it took a few weeks, but they really got that shell off me. Shiro’s this awesome older sister to me, she listened to me rambling, played my games, and was there for me. Hell, for th’ first time since my parents died, I got to call someone my sister, I-I got to call someone ‘mum’, and someone ‘dad’. It’s nice. They plan to officially adopt me sometime soon.”

Keith rarely ever shared her story, but for some reason, something told her that Lance was about to be a huge part of her life. When she looked up, Lance had this adoring expression on her face.

“you got a happy endin’!”

Well, when she put it like that, yeah, Keith did get a happy ending. Keith half smiled at her, right as a plate was slipped onto the table with a tray containing the shots.

“thank you.”

They said in unison to the waitress, when they realised, Lance giggled and held up her shot.

“Here’s to happy endin’s and a great night ahead, eh, Keith?”

Keith couldn't leave her hanging. She clinked her glass against hers, and they downed it quickly, putting their glasses down at the same time. Lance was right, these tacos were really good; pulled barbecue pork smothered in sauce, with shredded cabbage, tomatoes and beans with rice, all in a soft circle of bread. Keith felt dribble leak from the corner of her mouth as she ate, and Lance was just as messy as her. Right as she was getting started, it was over, but by god it got her stomach wanting more. They both shared the bill, and grabbed the free mints as they ran out.

“Only 6.30!? Shit, we got great timin’! By the way, is there anythin’ around my mouth?”

Lance stared at Keith, and Keith brought a hand up to wipe a bit of pork away from the corner of her mouth with her thumb. She didn't think much of it, but it got this goofy grin on Lance’s face.

“Alright, next stop, Italy!”

Lance handed her the helmet, and once Keith was settled in the back, Lance sped off down the road, heading further and further away from the sealed roads, onto cobblestone, and what felt like a market. Lights were shining over them, zig-zagging on wires from building to building, potted trees and shrubs brought on a nice atmosphere, and light flooded onto the street from all the shops and restaurants with their doors wide open. It turned into what looked like Venice, complete with the channels and gondolas, high bridges over the crystal blue water, and the buildings looked like something from the renaissance, cream coloured buildings and red brick arches, it was a romantic looking place, and Keith admired it greatly. She’d never even been to Italy, but here, it sure felt like it. Lance parked the scooter behind a line of hedges, and with a finger to her lips, shushing them, they pulled off their helmets and quietly padded forwards, staying close the the buildings as they past many dumpsters, with Lance holding Keith’s hand and taking the lead.  _ They were sneaking in!?  _ And through the back ways, too. A large mesh fence came into view. The channels and renaissance buildings were  _ right there  _ behind the fence.

“okay, that part you could get in for free, right there? Its for the rich. But us plebeians don’t mind gettin’ our hands dirty, don’t we?”

Lance grinned lopsidedly and raised her eyebrow, shooting her eyes towards the fence. Keith very much liked where this was going.

“Hmm, I like it.”

It would also mean avoiding more people than the front entrance, and they just had to wait until the security guards left position, according to Lance, in about five minutes.

“How do you know about this? Been here before?”

“Yup! Me and Hunk sneak outta th’ Garrison sometimes, th’ food there is horrible, y’gotta forgive us. This place? Once you get past th’ guards,  _ no-one  _ bats an eye. And the pizza is to die for. All worth it.”

Lance chuckled and tensed as the guard walked forwards and over the bridge in front of him, just an alley a few meters forwards from the fence, and then they would be free.

“ _ Now!” _

They wasted no time in throwing themselves against the fence, digging their fingers into the mesh as quietly as they could, and flung themselves over, brushing themselves off and dashing toward the end. Lance stopped them and peaked out the side. All clear. They both snickered and casually walked out, an arm around each other’s shoulders. It was starting to get dark, stars coming out in the sky as the blue grew deeper every minute.

“Can’t believe we just did that. For pizza.”

Keith chuckled. She would be lying if she said that she didn't find that exhilarating, adrenaline already pumping through her veins. They passed a few high-end shops, a Gucci, Dior and even a Bulgari jewellery shop, not all Italian places, but very expensive. The water was glowing blue with lights in the water, casting a wavering pattern on the undersides of the boats and bridges. Soft music played out on speakers, singing in Italian accompanied by guitars being soulfully plucked and strummed. Keith felt warm here, it had nice sort of peace here, and a soft smile crept onto the edges of her lips. 

“C’mon! Here it is!”

Lance, still holding her hand, lead her into a restaurant, many were sitting out the front, women in sequined dresses and diamond rings dolled-up, and men in fine suits and bowties. Clearly a playground for the rich. Keith felt a little out of place, and the nervousness in her stomach threatened again, but a quick squeeze to her hand said that she was not alone. The interior was beautiful, sand coloured marble lining the walls and floors, intricate pillars on the sides of the room, giant roman bowls filled with blooming red roses, that complimented the red velvet carpet, and a chandelier that seemed to be made from crystal hung from the ceiling, and all the tables were of fine wood, the chairs with embroidered upholstery and lined with gold.

“Ah Lance! You keep coming back, don’t you!”

A middle aged butler greeted her, graying hair and a moustache, but he seemed very friendly.

“Yup! Y’can’t get rid of me!”

“Oh? And you’ve bought a miss?”

The butler had a smug expression on his face. 

“One moment, I’ll see what I can arrange.”

He straightened his posture and headed for a desk tucked away on the side next to the kitchen entrance.

“They know you by name?”

“Me and Hunk come here often, we’re the favourite ladies here! Ruphy is always our waiter!”

Ruphy turned up less than a minute later.

“Inside or outside?”

“Outside, please.”

Keith and Lance said together. Ruphy chortled and tapped the leather menus in his hands.

“Right this way!”

He guided them upstairs, to a balcony that overlooked the entire place. Grape vines curled around the barrier of it, and a bowl of roses was on either side of the balcony, a round mahogany table with two chairs was present, with two champagne flutes and a bottle in an ice bucket to the side, a candle lit in the middle. Keith’s eyes widened at the sight, and she sat across from Lance. This was very exquisite for pizza. 

“We have a rather...busy night tonight, no more normal tables left, but Lance always tips well, and we have a spare table up here, upgrade free of charge!”

“Thank you Ruphy, you’re a godsent angel, you know that?”

Ruphy shrugged and laughed heartily, going back downstairs to leave the girls to themselves.

“We might as well pour a glass, of Italy’s  _ finest _ champagne?”

Lance grabbed the bottle by the neck and popped the cork, amusing to Keith, and the goldy liquid fizzed and foamed as it was poured into the glasses.

“We’re not drinkin’ at every place we go to, right?”

“Nah, but when will you ever sip champagne on a balcony in Italy again durin’ summer? Cheers, Keith.”

Keith grabbed a glass and clinked Lance’s.

“Cheers, Lance.”

Keith had heard the expression of champagne ‘tasting like the stars’, but she didn't think literally. It danced on her tongue, and it sent a spark shooting through her. It honestly did taste like the stars.

“Woah, this is good.”

“Mm, agreed.”

Good didn't even begin to describe it. She peered over Lance’s menu, staring at the pizzas that all sounded so amazing.

“So Keith, we’ll take two small ones, so we can share. Th' Apollo sounds good to me. You better not be one of those people who likes pineapple on pizza though. Otherwise I will throw you off th' balcony.”

The Apollo sounded good, chicken with cashews and mozzarella on an apricot sauce.

“I do like pineapple on pizza, though.”

Lance shook her head and pulled a mock face of disgust.

_ “Heathen!” _

“What? You too chicken to try somethin’ new? I’ll that the Noche, pineapple and ham.”

“Oh it is  _ on _ .”

Lance bit back and leaned over to press the button on the door frame. It took a minute for Ruphy to come up and take their orders. Pizzas should be ready in twenty minutes.

“And if you do like the pineapple, you gotta pay for  _ both  _ pizzas.”

“Alright, you strike a fair deal, Kogane.”

Lance stared at her as she sipped her drink.

“So what other bastard food combinations do you like?”

Keith snorted through her nose at that.

“Let’s see...bacon hock soup with potatoes, mango ice cream and coffee, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and grapes with mustard.”

Lance burst out laughing at the mention of ‘grapes and mustard’.   
“You preggers or somethin'? My mum always craved that when she was carryin' Maria!”   
Lance snorted and covered her hand with her mouth, her eyes crinkling as she laughed. Okay, Keith had to admit, it was a little funny.   
“Don't knack it 'til you've tried it. And no, I've never even slept with a guy. I think I would know if I was pregnant.”   
Grapes and mustard. It did actually sound like something a pregnant woman would crave, and Lance was in hysterics, gasping for breath and banging her fist on the table.   
“What about you then? What bastard food combinations do  _ you _ like?”   
Lance, still grinning like a fool, straightened up and exhaled heavily.   
“Where do I start? I, uh, like lime jelly with peaches an' mango, apples and bananas, garlic knots with lemonade, an' french fries dunked in chocolate milkshakes!”   
“French fries in chocolate milkshakes?  _ What in the actual fuck!?” _ _  
_ “Hey you're no better, miss I-like-grapes-with-mustard!”   
They were both in absolute hysterics now, not really mad at each other, but just two idiot girls teasing each other at their...odd tastes.   
“Okay, if there's one thing we have in common, we both got the cravin's of pregnant women.”   
Keith gasped from laughing too hard, her ribs starting to hurt.   
“Alright, agreed.”   
She made eye contact with Lance again, and they both snorted and cackled like witches, not able to hold a straight face.   
“Jesus Christ, look at us! We're-we're so...sorry, I can't-"   
Lance tried to say through her hysterics, but she managed to sip her drink without it being snorted out through her nose.   
“I still can't believe y'like pineapple on pizza.”   
“This again? Someone, fuckin, help me please!”   
Keith threw her arms up in the air and leaned back into her seat, hooking an arm over, looking out over the place. The sky was darkening, and the city lights were being turned on. Las Vegas always had city lights that made Keith stop and watch, how vibrant the city came alive at night. The soft flow of music, the chatter of everyone below them, the smells of freshly cooked food, and the lapping of water against the gondolas, it has a serene sort of peace to it.    
“It's nice up here.”   
“Yeah, I see why you like it.”   
Lance smiled and winked at her, taking another sip of her drink. When the pizzas arrived, they honestly were delicious.    
“You like the pineapple pizza?”   
Lance was halfway through a slice, hungry chewing on it, and she glanced up at Keith.   
“Yeah, it's alright.”   
How she seemed to be digging into it said otherwise.   
“So you're gonna pay for it?”   
Lance scrunched up her nose.   
“Yes. I'll pay.”   
Keith smirked at the victory for her. The Apollo also tasted rich, and Keith found herself taking more than one slice of it. There was only five slices of each pizza, quite pricey at fifteen dollars each.    
“How do you even pay for this all?”   
“Y'know, I got two jobs. All worth it!”

What a woman. Once they were done, and Lance had paid a twenty dollar tip, both with a mint in their mouths, they were speeding off again. Thankfully, they were allowed to keep the champagne. 

 

The sky was dark now, at around eight o'clock at night, and they were back on the scooter. The city was all lit up, and the multi coloured lights shone off any shiny surface it could touch, and Keith was filled with wonder, at the bright purple and pink lights that shone off the vespa and cars parked, the light bathing everything in purples, pinks and blues. Bright lights, big city. They zipped past luxurious limousines and retro mustangs, and the flashes of cameras at passing celebrities.   
“Where are we goin' now!?”   
“Japan! It's not as lux, but god, the food is great!”   
Lance had a pretty good idea of where to go around the city, and they whizzed past the casinos and towering buildings, until the scooter was parked onto a kerb, outside of a small hole-in-the-wall cafe, with standing tables outside, topped with trays of napkins, chopsticks and various sauces and oils. It had a string of lanterns around the hole in the wall, inside there were three chiefs, with their aprons covered in oil frying away, but they looked happy.   
“Believe me, this place has the best dumplin's and bubble tea!”   
Lance held Keith's hand and they strided up to the counter, staring down at the menu. It smelt almost homely to Keith here, his foster mother made dumplings occasionally.    
“What sounds good?”   
Keith stared down at the menu. The beef and ginger looked interesting, and the green apple bubble tea also sounded good. A man wearing an apron with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows leaned on the counter with a notepad.   
“May I take your order?”   
Lance nudged at Keith to go first.   
“Yes, uh, small pack of beef and ginger, with th' cabbage side salad and a green tea with pearls, thanks.”   
“Mhm, and you?”   
The man scribbled it down on the pad.   
“Same as her.”   
Lance smiled slyly at her.   
“Twenty-eight dollars, thanks.”   
They both reached into their wallets, handing over fourteen dollars each, and they got a ticket with their order number on. There was only two other people ordering, so it didn't take long. Keith had to admit, Lance looked gorgeous bathed in the light, the blue glowing off her skin, and reflecting in her eyes and smile, one side of her in blue, the other side in pink.   
“Should I tell ya what y'look like? Y'look like one of those light aesthetic photos.”   
Lance laughed and pushed her playfully.   
“Says you! Jus' look at yourself!”   
Keith glanced down, her white shirt looked pink, and the colour seemed to soak into her pale skin. Keith laughed and pushed her back.   
“We're both walkin' aesthetic photos, wait, oh god, we're walkin'  _ memes _ .”   
Lance face palmed and pinched the bridge of her nose, her smile reaching up to her eyes. It only took five minutes for their number to be called out, and two plastic cups filled with tea and pearls and two paper baskets filled with dumplings and cabbage were handed over the counter, and they both moved to one of the tables. Keith poured chili oil and soy sauce on hers. The cabbage salad was basic, but with some sauce and oil, it was actually pretty good, and Keith had more fun than she would like to admit chewing tapioca pearls.   
“Sooooo whatdoya think?”   
“Mm, it's pretty good.”   
“ _ Just  _ good?”   
“Alright, it's pretty good.”   
Lance rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling.   
“Nothin' can beat the dumplings my mum cooks.”   
“True, nothin' beats mum's cookin'.”

They ate this meal in silence, just listening to the sounds of music, cooking and traffic.   
“You've watched  _ Breakfast at Tiffany's _ , right?”   
Keith vaguely remembered the movie, she watched it when she was little, back when she was in Australia, she didn't remember much of it, but she remembered Audrey Hepburn in her black dress, eating a croissant and staring at a shop window through her sunglasses.   
“Yeah, ages ago though.”   
“Well, what about  _ dessert  _ at Tiffany's?”   
Lance winked and that cat-like grin on her face grew, she had already finished her basket, and was sucking on her straw, breaking the pearls with her front teeth. Keith almost blushed at how lewd she was, but her flirting was just playful, Keith was sure.   
“No way.”   
“Yes way! After this, we're goin' to France!”   
“But isn't Tiffany's an American brand?”   
Lance shrugged her shoulders at that.   
“It's the thought that counts, plus, it would be really cool, y'know? It's, like, the most iconic thing you could ever do on a date!”   
Keith copied Lance's infectious grin, cleaning off her tray and taking a long sip of her tea.   
“It's only a short walk, no need for th' bike!”   
Lance quickly finished her drink and threw the cup in the bin with the trays, taking Keith's free hand and walking slowly along the backstreets. It was a lot quieter in the backstreets, apart from the muffled sounds of music and nightlife. The streets were concrete and had litter and chewing gum on them, and they passed many brightly lit convenience stores that housed bored clerics on their phones and a couple of tattoo parlours, with their flashing neon signs and cigarette smoke. They took a couple of sharp turns, down alleyways past overloaded dumpsters and wet cardboard boxes in dim light, before coming out onto a cobblestone street, with fancy streetlights and gardens, a string quartet was busking in the middle of the wide road, their instruments old, just like the players, playing a slow, flowing piece. It sounded pretty, and it struck a chord with Keith, she was sure that she had heard it before. She hissed as Lance spun them around, almost knocking into her chest.   
“You can dance, right?”   
“Mm, not much.”   
Keith finished off her drink and set it aside on a bench.   
“I'll teach you, you put your hands here,”   
Lance cupped Keith's hand in her own, and placed her other one on her shoulder, and Lance put her own hand on Keith's hip.   
“And you just follow my steps, it's slow, you just move your feet, like this, sway into it.”   
Lance stepped backwards, pulling Keith along with her that her right foot stood in the space where Lance's left foot stepped back, and then back again slowly, until they had stepped around in a full circle, softly swaying in time to the music, slow dancing in the most cliche setting. Keith had never danced with anyone before like this, it was new, and she knew that she would like to do it again. When the music died down, they slowed down with the music until they were still. She didn't know what she was doing, she had her forehead resting on Lance's shoulder, and she was laughing. How cheesy was this? But right now, cheesy was nice. Another laugh filled the air, and Lance was chuckling along with her. They broke apart, and Keith threw a few coins into the musician's cases, and they continued on their walk.   
“Hey, that was great! Y'know, I honestly thought you would be hopeless, but y'actually followed through!”   
“I'll take that as a compliment.”   
Keith was more happy than she would admit, and Lance nudged their shoulders together.   
“Here it is!”   
Lance dragged her into a bakery, one that smelt of baked bread and hot chocolate. It was very warm in here, and it felt...French, obviously. Wicker baskets on the counter held buns and croissants, and oak and glass cabinets showed off slices and muffins and sandwiches, even all the labels were written in French. A large woman, with bright ginger hair in a bun, who reminded Keith of Coran for some reason, was playing on her phone at the counter.   
“I'm goin' full Hepburn, with a chocolate croissant an' a hot choc, you?”   
“Same.”   
The woman at the counter looked up from her phone and smiled at them.   
“Hiya? Was that two chocolate croissants and two hot chocolates?”   
Keith nodded. She had a French accent, and she wondered if the woman ran this place by herself.   
“Small, medium, or large?”   
The woman, her nametag on her striped apron stated Lola, started up a large red coffee machine. They settled for medium. Keith noticed that she generously popped four marshmallows into the milky froth of the cups before snapping the lids on, and the drew out two small brown paper bags, carefully using a pair or tiny tongs to slip the pastries in.   
“Is that all?”   
“Yes, thank you.”   
“Twelve dollars.”   
Once again, they found themselves emptying their wallets out. Keith could already hear her bank account weeping, and she bit into the flakey pastry as she walked out, and the large Tiffany's sign lit up at the end of the street.   
“Shit! We gotta do it! C'mon!”   
Lance grabbed her hand until they were both in the shops' window, staring at their reflected images, diamonds on a golden chain glittered in front of them. As if on cue, they both took a bite and tilted their heads to the side. Keith snorted and elbowed Lance.   
“Should we go in?”   
“My bank account would die at those prices.”   
“Not buyin' anythin', but just tryin' it on, like clothes shoppin', just with diamonds instead of jeans!”   
Keith was the first one in, the towering glass doors already wide open, the room was a lot like the one at the Italian restaurant, with pinkish marble tiles along the floors and walls, and golden coiled pillars at the corners of the room, with a cream coloured carpet muffling their footsteps, and her gaze settled on a large circular display case that took up most of the room. The jewels in it took up her entire field of vision, the diamonds that refracted all the colours of the rainbow, hanging from chains of gold and coiled on delicate rings. One thing in particular took her breath away, a dainty ring tucked away in the corner, light rose gold with small rubies along the thin band, separated with diamonds after every one. Lance must have noticed, as she sidled up next to her and stared at it as well.   
“Wow, you like that one?”   
Keith nodded dumbly, not taking her eyes off it. Lance must have waved down a worker, as the ring was pulled out and was suddenly placed in front of her.    
“Ma'am? You want to try it on?”   
“Oh, yes.”   
Keith placed her drink and croissant on the glass, and the worker took her left hand. The worker, her tag said Karen, had very small slim fingers with red nail polish, and Keith's hand looked huge in her tiny one. The ring wouldn't fit onto her index or middle finger, but it fit snugly on her ring finger. When she glanced at Lance, she looked like she would explode from happiness.   
“So, Cinderella, it fits! It looks pretty on you, don't cha think?”   
Keith turned her hand around and wriggled her fingers, so the gems could catch the light.   
“It does…”   
It was like it was made for her, it suited her skin perfectly, and it fit right onto her finger naturally. Keith was reluctant to take it off, but the twisted it off her finger and place it back in the box.   
“Thank you, but maybe some other time.”   
Karen nodded at her and placed it back. If the apocalypse were to happen right now, Keith wouldn't hesitate to reach across the counter and grab it.   
“What about this one?”   
Lance was also staring at a ring, silver, with a teardrop shaped blue sapphire in it, with little diamonds along the band. It was also very intricate, and very beautiful. Lance bubbled with delight as it slipped onto her ring finger, her face a little flushed. Keith smiled at her antics.   
“You like this one?”   
“Yes!”   
Lance sang, presenting her hand to Keith.    
“If I win the l lottery, I'd get these rings first thing!”   
Lance gushed and twisted it off, handing it back to Karen, and Lance winked at her, sipping her hot chocolate. Keith wandered around the place a little more, admiring the work and how delicate everything was. She saw a pair of Onyx drop earrings, that she would consider for Shiro, and a little set of pearls with a blue and pink sheen, that if she had the money, she would gift to her mother. She didn't think that the workers were happy about her and Lance trying on the rings, leaving crumbs over the place and not buying anything, but that was not their problem.    
“Woo! Ten o'clock, on the dot!”   
Lance held out her phone as they exited, surprising Keith by pulling her in for a selfie.   
“God! Coulda given me a warnin', could ya?”   
Lance snickered at that and showed the picture to her, and it...didn't look that bad, Lance was grinning at the camera, and Keith still had a soft smile on her face, and she was pressed against Lance's side, holding her drink, with a hand on her arm. If anything, it made her smile more.   
“It's a good pic! You look adorable!”   
Lance gushed and slipped her phone back in her pocket, walking in unison back to the scooter, the city lights flashing brightly in the sky, and Keith could see the lights from the darkness of the alley.   
  


“Hey Lance? Thanks for this, I had a great time.”   
Keith tucked her helmet onto her lap, getting behind Lance on the vespa.   
“Who says you're goin' home yet? There's still more to see!”   
“Any more food and I swear I will puke.”   
“Who says it's food?”    
A little bit of relief twinged in her chest at that.   
“So where are goin'?”   
“It's a surprise!”   
Lance pulled her phone and two pairs tangled earbuds out of her pocket, untwisting them and plugging them into a headphone splitter, and she handed the phone and a pair of earbuds to Keith.   
“Just press play, for some music while we drive.”   
“That's pretty dangerous.”   
“Dude, you jumped a wire fence with me tonight and danced in th' middle of the road, this is nothin', besides, it's a long drive.”   
Keith tucked the phone into her bra, so they could both listen without their earbuds pulling them back, and they had their helmets pulled over the earbuds. Keith pressed play as Lance drove off, and she couldn't even hear the wind rush past them, just music. A piano rolled the opening notes of a song, almost in beat with the rhythmic flashing of lights around them, and the lights were soon blurring past them, into the dimmer lights of the suburbs, that slowly sunk into undisturbed desert, cacti and shrubs rushing past them. A pang of joy filled Keith as the  _ 'Now Leaving Las Vegas _ ' sign blew past, and the stars came into view. It was a sweet little song, and it fit the move, guitar and piano with a low voice in her ears.   
_  
_ _ You'll find me  _ _  
_ _ in a sea of dreams, _ _  
_ _ Where no one cares about my words _ _  
_ _ I hear her voice _ _  
_ _ She laughs loud _ _  
_ _ She loves me now and always will _

 

The wind was whipping her face, and her smile grew as did the ever growing stars in the sky, mountains of rock silhouetted against the sky. Keith wrapped her arms tighter around Lances waist, craning her head up at the sky, the city was far behind them, and the stars were clustered together, bright and in a galaxy that extended far beyond the skies above them. They pulled up to a hill, driving around it for what felt like ages until they came to the summit. The stars were so close that Keith thought she could reach up and cup them in her hands. It was dark, but it was light enough to make out everything around them. The scooter putted to a stop, and Keith tore off her helmet, crawling off after Lance, and stood still, just staring up at the stars above.   
“You really like those stars, don't ya?”   
“I just...don't think I've really seen them like this before.”   
It was a calm night, not a cloud in the sky, and she handed back the phone and earbuds to Lance. A bassline from a tinny speaker turned her attention back to the woman. She knew this song. Lance left the phone on the scooter seat, still playing that bassline.   
“You know how to dance now...dance with me? You can lead this time.”   
“This is so cheesy.”   
“Good thing I like cheese then. So is that a yes?”   
Keith took a step towards her, and cupped her hand around Lance's hip.   
“One more dance.”   
Lance smirked and slid her hand around the back of Keith's neck.   
“Couldn't resist me, could you?”   
“Shut up and dance.”   
Keith chuckled and swayed and stepped in time with the song, the same slow dance they had back in the city, but this time, they were all alone. And under the stars, they danced.   
  
_ Darlin', darlin', stand by me, stand by me  
_ _ Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Tell me how to improve! Again, if this gets enough feedback, Ill be able to churn out another chapter! I am still taking requests and prompts on my tumblr @gingernutting.tumblr.com and I would love to talk and hear from you guys!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this far! I take requests, prompts, and am always up for a chat on my tumblr @gingernutting.tumblr.com! Kudos and comments are my lifeblood and motivation because I am thirsty as heck. If this gets enough feedback, I may consider turning this into a multi chapter fic!


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